Perpignan Cathedral

Perpignan, France

Perpignan Cathedral construction was begun in 1324 by King Sancho of Majorca, and later finished in the 15th century. It replaced the Cathedral of Elna, and therefore the church was at first the seat of the Bishop of Elne, and then, from 1602, of the Bishop of Perpignan.

The cathedral was built in the Catalan Gothic style, because of its association with the Kingdom of Majorca. It has a wide nave (80 meters long, 18 m wide, and 26 m tall) made of seven cross-vaults, and features a short transept and apse, whose vault features seven keys.

The cathedral's western façade was never finished. When being restored in the 19th and 20th centuries, the Gothic window of the façade was rebuilt, as it had previously been substituted by a simple rectangular opening. The façade also features a portico and clock-tower, which date from the 18th century.

References:

Comments

Your name

Website (optional)


Address

Rue Cité Bartissol 1, Perpignan, France
See all sites in Perpignan

Details

Founded: 1324
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Late Capetians (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Palace of the Kings of Majorca (0,8 km)


Château Royal de Collioure (24,8 km)
Archbishop's Palace (54,5 km)
Narbonne Cathedral (54,5 km)
Fontfroide Abbey (47,5 km)
Elne Cathedral (12,8 km)
Château de Peyrepertuse (33,7 km)
Château de Castelnou (18,3 km)
Salses Fortress (15,6 km)
Saint-Génis-des-Fontaines Abbey (17,6 km)

User Reviews

Firrita VL (4 months ago)
Gorgeous cathedral. You could spend hours examining alle the beautiful detailed works of art!
Tina Gillet (5 months ago)
Good place to visiting in Perpignan
joe higham (9 months ago)
The cathedral is jaw dropping. Our pet monkey had to sit down.... it was really quite overwhelming.
Vajira Certain (14 months ago)
Beautiful inside..they R renovating it, so a bit noisy outside. Inside is very historical.. if they cld put a bit more info we cld have a better idea of what is what and who built what??! In French of course but in English too being the international language! Inside needs repairs too unfortunately.. could be much more interesting to visit. How about u have to put 1 euro to light up the place so we can see things more clearly as it's very gloomy inside?? Just a suggestion
Aidan Armstrong (16 months ago)
Front porch was under renovation and bar the wrought iron bell tower the front of the Cathedral is relatively simple, only 2 or 3 gargoyles on the front hint at what lies within. The cathedral is dark, long and broad with short arms for the normal cruciform layout, but the surprise is the sections/vaults along the left and right of the main body. Each section is about 10 feet wide and contains a dedicated altar or area for a particular dedication to a Saint or similar. Some are highly ornate in gilded wood or plaster, some held carved stone, marble or paintings. Everywhere paintings added to the depth and quality, bare stone walls were a rarity. Wonderful to explore
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Most beautiful castles in Lithuania
Photo from Flickr, copyright oxfordblues84

Historic Site of the week

Luxembourg Palace

The famous Italian Medici family have given two queens to France: Catherine, the spouse of Henry II, and Marie, widow of Henry IV, who built the current Luxembourg palace. Maria di Medici had never been happy at the Louvre, still semi-medieval, where the fickle king, did not hesitate to receive his mistresses. The death of Henry IV, assassinated in 1610, left the way open for Marie's project. When she became regent, she was able to give special attention to the construction of an imposing modern residence that would be reminiscent of the Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens in Florence, where she grew up. The development of the 25-hectare park, which was to serve as a jewel-case for the palace, began immediately.

The architect, Salomon de Brosse, began the work in 1615. Only 16 years later was the palace was completed. Palace of Luxembourg affords a transition between the Renaissance and the Classical period.

In 1750, the Director of the King's Buildings installed in the wing the first public art-gallery in France, in which French and foreign canvases of the royal collections are shown. The Count of Provence and future Louis XVIII, who was living in Petit Luxembourg, had this gallery closed in 1780: leaving to emigrate, he fled from the palace in June 1791.

During the French Revolution the palace was first abandoned and then moved as a national prison. After that it was the seat of the French Directory, and in 1799, the home of the Sénat conservateur and the first residence of Napoleon Bonaparte, as First Consul of the French Republic. The old apartments of Maria di Medici were altered. The floor, which the 80 senators only occupied in 1804, was built in the middle of the present Conference Hall.

Beginning in 1835 the architect Alphonse de Gisors added a new garden wing parallel to the old corps de logis, replicating the look of the original 17th-century facade so precisely that it is difficult to distinguish at first glance the old from the new. The new senate chamber was located in what would have been the courtyard area in-between.

The new wing included a library (bibliothèque) with a cycle of paintings (1845–1847) by Eugène Delacroix. In the 1850s, at the request of Emperor Napoleon III, Gisors created the highly decorated Salle des Conférences, which influenced the nature of subsequent official interiors of the Second Empire, including those of the Palais Garnier.

During the German occupation of Paris (1940–1944), Hermann Göring took over the palace as the headquarters of the Luftwaffe in France, taking for himself a sumptuous suite of rooms to accommodate his visits to the French capital. Since 1958 the Luxembourg palace has been the seat of the French Senate of the Fifth Republic.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2020 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.